Episode 126: Ellie Smart Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series

May 26, 2022
American Eleanor Smart is the ambitious Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series athlete with a mission to clean up the world, one beach at a time. Having made an impressive World Series debut on the rough Irish coast of Inis Mór in 2017, Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Smart finally earned a permanent place in the women’s line-up for the 2019 season with a third place at the FINA World Cup. After a bumpy start into her debut year as a permanent diver, the Missouri-born athlete jumped on the podium in Mostar for the very first time. Then, in 2021, consistency was key as the American never dropped below sixth place to maintain her place in the women’s top 8.

An ambitious personality with high goals, Smart would want to be Oprah Winfrey for a day: “She’s such an amazing woman and philanthropist. I love all the work she is doing around the globe and hope that one day I can make such an impact! It would be awesome to be in her shoes for a day!”

She set a first step towards making a point as well as a difference when she founded ‘The Clean Cliffs Project’ together with her partner and fellow cliff diver Owen Weymouth. The mission of the initiative is to prevent plastic pollution and inspire others to take action. "Wherever we go we see humankind's footprint. I want my children and my grandchildren to experience the world in a very beautiful way, and so I hope that by cleaning and creating an awareness I've been helping that my kids will get to experience these beautiful places that I have.” From beach clean ups at the places the World Series travels to for competition, to educational get-togethers with the local communities, the former Olympic diver is always first when it’s time to act for the planet.

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Ellie Smart on Instagram
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
Boston event at the Museum of Contemporary Art on June 4, 2022 —>Get tickets to be there in Boston, watch live, or find out more.
Red Bull Cliff Diving on YouTube and Instagram
High Diving Institute